


Two Mops Are Better Than One

by Valor_Theory



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Canon Universe, Cleaning, Ereri Week, Fluff, M/M, Older Eren Yeager, One Shot, Romantic Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-07
Updated: 2015-09-07
Packaged: 2018-04-19 11:36:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,259
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4744850
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Valor_Theory/pseuds/Valor_Theory
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"You pass," Levi says with his typical drawl. </p><p>Eren's lips turn upward. "Thank you, Sir." It's like they're sharing a secret – the same secret every other day for five years.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Two Mops Are Better Than One

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this for Ereri Week. Day two was 'cleaning,' and the only prompt I was in the mood to work with. I hope you enjoy!

They've performed this routine a hundred times. It's no more than a final wipe, a nod of approval, and a parting. That's how it's been for the past five years.

Eren can't help but smile a little fondly. Cleaning is a sort of anchor for him. It was the first thing he did once he was part of the Corps, and he wouldn't be surprised if he wheezed his final breath between sprays of window cleaner. Levi would certainly be proud of that.

He's taller now by a few inches. The captain hardly reaches his chin now, and all the baby fat has left his face. He's smoothed out a bit, but the same ragged and raw fire claws behind his irises. It always will.

 Captain Levi is inspecting his work even though by now they both know it's top notch. It has been since Eren and his friends had to fill the shoes of the Levi Squad. He remembers begging the others to go over those corners again and please, Connie could you actually get the dust _off_ the furniture? He had to pick up a lot of slack, but the others acclimated with time.

"You pass," Levi says with his typical drawl.

Eren's lips turn upward. "Thank you, Sir." It's like they're sharing a secret – the same secret every other day for five years.

He notices the way Levi lingers in the room, eyes lazily trailing down his figure. It's comfortable. "Why'd you have to get so damn tall? You're already a shitty titan. Isn't that enough?" He folds his arms. Eren bites down a chuckle.

Feeling absurdly brave, he ventures, "It's so I can clean those high shelves for you, Sir."

Levi only lifts a brow at him appraisingly. He thinks it's funny. Eren said something the captain thinks is funny. "Well, aren't you just cheeky?" Levi takes the cleaning rag from Eren. Their fingers brush. "Give me that. I need to wash it."

Eren thinks about the inches between them for the rest of the day.

...

It's Friday, and that means they assault the kitchen and dining hall with a particular ferocity. The squad is mostly on their knees, scrubbing the floor and crevices.

"I don't think I need to remind you that if I see one _speck_ of mold, you're mucking the stables and weeding the grounds." Connie chuckles nervously. Mikasa dares to roll her eyes once Levi isn't looking.  "And you," he says, turning to Eren. "Since you're so damn tall now, you can get those upper windows and shelving."

Eren knows the captain is teasing him now, in his own bizarre way.

With nearly everyone on the ground, he's tempted to tell Levi that he almost looks taller compared to them. That nod of approval and a pat on his shoulder stops him though. He's learned to pick up the little things. Mikasa shoots him a look. He only grins slightly and waves it off.

...

This small game of theirs continues for another month with Eren teasing and the captain retaliating. Maybe Eren catches him returning his stares in kind, but only if he's really lucky. Armin shakes his head a lot. Headquarters is always spotless.

...

They return from the latest expedition coated in mud, grime, and rainwater. Though it was an overall success (they found an old mountain pass that could be renovated and used to transport goods to the new territory), Levi seems especially worn. Eren remembers him mentioning that he's not fond of the rain.

The soldiers track in all of their dirt and filth, but no one has the energy to do anything except bathe and collapse into bed. Eren is up late, unable to sleep despite how exhausted he is. It's been a while since he's last needed to transform, and he's been a bit antsy because of it. He needs a release every now and then. So he's quietly walking to the supply closet to get the mop and soap. Eren thinks it will help relax him to clean, and the captain will be pleasantly surprised in the morning.

The mop is missing.

He finds it in Captain Levi's hands, lit by candlelight in the entryway. The circles under his eyes are more pronounced than usual when he meets Eren's gaze.

"Oh," he stammers. "I can take over, Sir."

Levi leans the mop against the wall. "Go to bed, Eren."

He chews on his lip. "You look tired."

"And you don't? Look, you don't need to bend back over yourself all the time. Go take a shit and get some rest already." The captain says it harshly, but it makes Eren feel a little bit warmer all the same.

He rolls up his sleeves. "I'm not getting sleep anytime soon, Captain. I might as well be useful."

Levi doesn't roll his eyes so much as he slides his gaze to the side. He sighs, shoulders relaxing. "I'm not going to stand here all night trying to 'out gentleman' you. You know where the second mop is. Shitty kid."

So they clean in silence, and by the time they're done the candles are noticeably shorter. Eren wipes his brow, satisfied with the low burn in his arms and wet shimmer on the hardwood.

"Um, Sir?" he prods. Levi says nothing, so he continues. "I'm just curious. Why couldn't you sleep?"

He almost doesn't hear the answer. Levi has his back turned and the water in the bucket sloshes. "Still raining," he mutters. Eren blinks but doesn't push further. "Well," the man starts, his volume regular again, "What's your reason?"

They dump the dirty water and hang the mops to dry. "Oh, I think it has to do with the shifting. I haven't done it in a while, so it feels like I've got all this extra energy and nothing to do with it. It keeps me up sometimes. I'll be tired but not sleepy, you know?"

Levi hums. "Maybe we'll find some other big ass rock for you to lift."

They wash their hands but neither is ready for bed yet. They retreat to Levi's office and sit in silence on the small sofa by the window. Sometimes they speak, chatting aimlessly, and it's a while before Levi notices that Eren's been daring to drop the 'Sir' and 'Captain' for at least an hour. Their knees brush against one another. The night drifts on.

Later, when sun beams fall through the window pane, Eren wakes up and feels Levi's head resting on his shoulder, their sides pressed together. It's thirty minutes before he wakes up too, and Eren doesn't move at all.

For a subordinate and superior, they probably shouldn't be so leisurely about getting up.

...

 "You've showered?"

"And washed my hands, brushed my teeth, cleaned my face..." Eren pauses. "I know what to do and how to clean by now. Give me a little credit, Sir."

"Eren," he warns.

"Sorry. Levi," he corrects with a quick kiss.

There's a pulse roughly six inches from his. Five. Four. It's pressed up against him. Levi has to crane his neck to look up at him. "I'll stop nagging when you remember to drop the shit formalities when we're alone."

Eren rests his hands on Levi's hips. "Okay. That's fair."

Levi's expression is as stoic as always. "Tomorrow we're cleaning the gutters," he announces.

"Oh. Of course."

As much as Eren now appreciates cleaning... Levi has a way of spoiling the mood with it. "So, you better not wear yourself out too much tonight." ...Without spoiling it at all.


End file.
